A New Award

I would like to thank Vicki from Keep Calm and Imagine for bestowing the

One Lovely Blog Award on me.

I am so ExCiTeD!!!!!

So, here are the rules for accepting the One Lovely Blog Award.

~Follow the person(s) who gave you the award. DONE!

~Link back to the person who gave you the award. DONE!

~Pass this award on to 15 new bloggers!

1.  Surviving Sixth Grade

2.  Sixth Grade Scribbles

3.  The Bomb Diggity Classroom

4.  The Inspired Classroom 

5.  Mrs. Brown's Blog

6.  Learning 4 Keeps



Thanks Again Vicki

Science Foldables and Journaling

I have accumulated a group of great resources from "Pinterest" that would be great to use as part of the upper level Science class.  In my experience, it is very important to include a visual of every standard that is covered and I am so excited that I was able to find them.  I also linked each picture with the original poster so that you can go see all of the other great pins that each author has to offer.

 

Volcano Lap Pad by Nancy

 

Weather Unit - SE5C74 - Distinguish among the various forms of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, and hail), making connections to the weather in a particular place and time.

Body Systems from Teaching in Room 6

SC.6.L.14.5: Identify and investigate the general functions of the major systems of the human body (digestive, respiratory, circulatory, reproductive, excretory, immune, nervous, and musculoskeletal) and describe ways these systems interact with each other to maintain homeostasis.

I know, I know, this is not a foldable but this covers soil erosion so well.  I figured we could actually do this experiment and then have them draw it in their journal.  Be sure to scroll down to the language TRANSLATOR below the right column.  :-)

Simple Machines

 

Solar System

SC5E5 - Humans continue to explore Earth's place in space. Gravity and energy influence the formation of galaxies, including our own Milky Way Galaxy, stars, the Solar System, and Earth. Humankind's need to explore continues to lead to the development of knowledge and understanding of our Solar System.

Photosynthesis

Describe and investigate the process of photosynthesis, such as the roles of light, carbon dioxide, water and chlorophyll; production of food; release of oxygen. 

Newbies Blog Hop - Great Idea

  
 So I found this great new Blog Hop for all Newbie Bloggers.  What is a blog hop?

A blog hop is a linky list that is SHARED ON MULTIPLE BLOGS.
When several blogs put the same linky list code on their blog, the
exact same list appears on each blog.

Blog visitors can submit their entries on any blog that contains the list.
The entries will appear on each blog where the list resides.

Blog readers see the same list on each blog, and can "HOP" from blog
to blog seeing the same list of links to follow: BLOG HOP!
 

 1. what state you are in - Florida

2. your current teaching position - 5th Grade Science

3. your teaching experience - 17 Years - Math, Science and Technology

4. when you started blogging - about 1 month

5. share a blogging tip / blogging resource - comment on many posts and be sincere and personal about it

Do you use ipads in the classroom?

Technology

    

      My blog today is to ask for help from my dear blogging friends. Our school is looking to update technology throughout the school (hallelujah). We currently have 1 Smartboard (in my room, I wrote a grant). Some teachers have Mimeos (sp?) and most have an Elmo and projector. We have about 5 student computers in each classroom of which at least 1 or 2 may not be working on any given day.

     Anyhoo, I have been asked to research the latest and greatest technology for the classroom. If you could please just drop me a couple of lines and give me a brief description of how your school uses technology successfully I would greatly appreciate it.

     Does anyone have an ipad cart or any ipads at all?  If so, how do you use them?



     Thanks for your help!

 

Let's take it to the Science Teacher.......



One day, this past December, the Dean of our school walked in to my Science classroom carrying a stick with the strangest looking caterpillar on it.  A kindergartner found it on the play ground and they decided to bring it to me to see if I wanted it.  Welllllll, of course I did.  My class was enamoured with it because it looked like this:

How Cute is that?

Well my students went in to investigation overdrive and quickly found that it was a Tiger Swallowtail.  The pretend eyes on the one we had were very big and my students predicted that it was a defense mechanism..........guess what, THEY WERE RIGHT!!! 

We then decided to create it an environment that would help it feel at home and eventually turn in to a butterfly.  We had dried limbs as well as fresh green grass and flowers.

Within a weeks time the caterpillar had seemingly disappeared, but no wait, what is that thing hanging from the limb?  A Chrysalis...........more learning.............my 45 Science students were ecstatic.  

As time wore on I started thinking that maybe something was wrong.  When we came back from Christmas Holiday there was still no change.   It looked very, very dry and I was quite sure that it didn't make it. 

In the mean time I had to change classrooms and therefore everything was in transition mode.  (I had to set up 3 different times this past year, does anyone hurt for me?)  Anyhoo, I just left the aquarium alone because I didn't have the heart to discard the chrysalis.  The school Dean and the teacher next door continued checking on it almost daily.

Then one fantastic day I had to go back to my old room for supplies that were in my closet.  I walked in and some movement caught my eye...........WHAT?   I was so excited......there was a beautiful butterfly flying around in the aquarium.  I ran to the teacher next door and sent for all of my students to come and look at this wonderful thing that had happened.  I cannot explain in words how excited my students were to see this life cycle transpire right before their eyes.  It is something that they will never forget, and isn't that what it is all about? 

Finally, we decided that the little kindergartner that found the caterpillar should be the one to release it to fly away.  The fifth graders took the aquarium outside and we formed a large circle around it.  The little fellow that found it knelt down (while his teacher was taking pictures) and released "Panther"  to fly away.  I loved being able to share that moment with my fifth graders.

School Supply Deals

For Me?  I shouldn't have.......   :-p

Ok, I am not holding back any longer..........it's on!  The three rows of school supplies at Wal-Mart were just too much for this old gal to resist.  I feel that I showed quite a bit of restraint because everything that I purchased could be placed in this little basket......ahemmmm.

Some items I purchased because of the great price and some of the other things I purchased because I knew I would need them and I didn't want to risk them not being available later on.

So for under $20 I was able to purchase everything you see above.

I probably could have waited and paid less for some of the items but overall I am pleased.

I am really excited  about the composition notebooks at the top of the picture.  I like for the students to use these as a Journal.  They were only .50........great buy. 

The pencils were .47 and the glue sticks were .10. 

I bought the 3 ring binders and dividers to place all of the items that my bloggin buddies are posting for the upcoming year.  :-)

BUT........my favorite purchase of the day is below:

Notice the two different ways to show the time, love it!

This is a Class Schedule poster that has 14 different lines for times and classes.  This nice laminated poster (about 3 ft long) cost only .88.  What?  Only teachers know how much this type of item would be if purchased elsewhere.  :-)

My only regret is that I did not buy 2 of them.  Our school requires that we post our schedule on the outside of the door......well, I guess I will just have to go back and get another one later.  

<evil laugh>  ah, hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Organizing Previous Themes

After accumulating year after year of classroom themes, I had to come up with a way to organize all of the various items that I used for the theme in one place. I decided to use the very large Ziplock bag.

This is the front view of one of the bags that holds my calendars, banners, bags, etc.  The large bags will hold  nice sized posters, games, pocket charts, etc. 

 

This is a side view of a few of my bags hanging in the closet.  If our school chooses a theme that I have already done, I just go to the closet and pull it out, complete with awards, stuffed animals,  name tags and even some teacher resources regarding the theme.

   I still use the following File'nSave to hold my bulletin board sets that have not been opened.  Gotta love those Scholastic $1 deals, right?

Whoop, whoop..........Liebster Blog Award

Eeeeek, I'm so excited!  I am so happy to announce that Leah at Learning 4 Keeps has nominated me for the Liebster Blog award.   

The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers with less than 200 followers. (um, that would be me)  
It was very interesting to find out that  Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome. 
I am so honored that Leah thought of me and my blog.  Please stop by her blog and show her some love.

Here are the things that I must do as a recipient of this award:
1. Link back to the person who gave it to you.
2. Post the award to your blog.
3. Give the award to at least 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers.
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award.

The Blogs that I nominate for this award are:

Stacey at http://teaching5thgradeinpearls.blogspot.com/

Mindy at Fifth Grade Findings

Randi at Teaching in an Organized Mess

Hilary at Fifth Grade Fancy

Thanks again Leah for giving me this award.

Congrats to "I Teach. What's your super power?"

Woo Hoo To Megan at "I Teach" for reaching 150 followers. Please follow her button below for some great giveaways in honor of this marvelous accomplishment. Congratulations!

Spelling City Love

Spelling City Anyone? I have used Spelling City in my fifth grade classroom for the past 2 years and I have been very pleased. The possibilities are endless and I just received an email that they have added even more.
What's New?
First, Language arts lessons that include videos, PowerPoint presentations, enrichment strategies featuring printables, games and hands-on activities, sample word lists, and custom games pre-populated with those lists!
New lessons have been created for popular themes like analogies and compound words, plus several brand new themes have been added, including:
Antonyms & Synonyms
Figurative Language
Verb Tenses
Second, Useful Word Lists that may be imported into member's accounts. New themes feature:
Phonics
Social Studies (yeaaaaa - we are beefing up this standard this year.)
Word Families
And finally, Articles now featuring information about Title I Schools, RTI, plus how to use VocabularySpellingCity with English language learners and students with special needs.
If you haven't tried Spelling City I highly recommend it. Happy Tuesday!

Love Freebie Friday

I love Freebie Friday because of the many, many, many opportunities to hop around different blogs to see all of the wonderful free activities, etc. These bloggers are experts and it would be so worth your time to stop by each one to see what they have available. I am working on a few projects looking forward to the day when I will be able to contribute Freebie Friday. HOP ON!! lol

Versatile Blogger Award!!!!!

Wow!!! I was so pleased when I signed on today and realized that I had been awarded the Versatile Award by Hooty at Hooty's Homeroom. Thank you so much, Hooty, for the recognition.

The Rules for accepting The Versatile Blogger Award:
1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. Include a link to their site.
3. Include the award image in your post.
4. Give 7 random facts about yourself.
5. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award.
6. When nominating, include a link to their site.
7. Let other bloggers know they have been nominated.
7 Random Facts about Me:
- I love surfing, stalking and hopping from blog to blog.
- I had a knee replacement this summer :-( but it gave me the opportunity to create this blog :-).
- I have the most beautiful cat that I named Snickers.
- I have 5 grandchildren (in my profile picture).
- I truly love being an educator and I am super excited about receiving this award.
I would like to pass on The Versatile Award to the following bloggers:
Teaching 4 Real
Differentiated Kindergarten
For the Love of Teaching Math
Fabulous 4th Grade Froggies
Cooperative Learning 365
Third Graders, Dreaming Big
Addie Education Teacher Talk
Lessons with Laughter
Thanks again Hooty!